Relationship between canopy architecture and fruit quality on 'Rich May' peach grafted onto 'Penta' and 'GF677' rootstocks

Observations on crop efficiency and fruit quality of peach trees of ‘Rich May’ grafted onto ‘GF677’ (peach x almond) and ‘Penta’ (Prunus domestica L.) rootstocks are reported. Results were related to canopy architecture parameters, particularly to scaffold branches, shoot and leaf blade inclination angles, to the pattern of light distribution, and to the area of sunflecks projected at midday on the ground. Trees grafted onto ‘GF677’ were more vigorous, in terms of trunk cross-sectional area, summer pruning weight and leaf area. Within canopy light distribution profiles were in agreement with foliage density, with a higher light interception observed in trees grafted on ‘GF677’. Within canop…

Variazioni qualitative nel corso della conservazione dei frutti della cultivar di pistacchio "Bianca di Bronte" sottoposti a diversi metodi di essiccazione

Le cultivar siciliane di ciliegio dolce: aspetti fenologici, morfologici e genetico-molecolari

Growth and yields of 'Arbequina' high-density planting systems in three different olive growing areas in Italy

The sustainability of the traditional olive-growing sector in EU countries characterised by high production costs and a low selling price for the oil was mainly determined by EU subsidies available for the sector. With the opening of the free trade area by the Barcellona Declaration of 1995 and a cut in EU subsidies in 2014, crucial changes in the sector are now needed. In order to increase the competitiveness of EU olive production, attention should be given to new high-yielding and mechanized cultivation systems. In the 1990s, Spain introduced new high-density planting systems (1,200-2,000 trees/ha) using three low-vigour and early-fruiting cultivars ( Arbequina , Arbosana and Koroneiki )…

Identification of (In)Compatible S-genotypes and Molecular Characterisation of Italian Sweet Cherry Cultivars.

Italy is the first sweet cherry producer in Europe. Its rich germplasm of local varieties has not been fully characterised or exploited in breeding programmes. Sweet cherry is a self-incompatible species; this trait is controlled by a gametophytically expressed multi-allelic (S) locus. The knowledge of sweet cherry S-alleles and cross-incompatibility groups is important for growers and breeders for choosing appropriate pollinators in the orchard and planning crosses. In this work, we analysed 94 sweet cherry cultivars native of large part of the Italian regions where cherry is grown. The microsatellite primer pair set and the reference cultivars agreed for cherry by the Prunus Working Group…

Buoni risultati con l'1rrigazione in deficit dell'oliveto superintensivo

Intra-allelic variation in introns of the S13-RNase allele distinguishes sweet, wild and sour cherries

The cherry (Prunus avium), a self-incompatible diploid species, and the sour cherry (Prunus cerasus), a self-incompatible or self-compatible allotetraploid species derived from P. avium and Prunus fruticosa, share several S-RNase alleles, including S13. An inactive form, S13° ,i s found in some sour cherries. Two (AT) microsatellites are associated with allele S13-RNase, one in the first intron and one in the second. Their length polymorphisms were studied in 14 sweet and 17 wild cherries (both P. avium) and in 42 sour cherries. Fluorescent primers amplifying each microsatellite were designed and amplification prod- ucts sized on an automated sequencer. Variants ranged from 247 to 273 bp fo…

Effect of the mechanical harvest of drupes on the quality characteristics of green fermented table olives

Background: Because of damage caused by mechanical harvesting, the drupes for table olive production are traditionally hand harvested. Until now, no data have been available on the microbiological and chemical features of mechanically harvested drupes during fermentation. Results: Drupes mechanically harvested and inoculated with Lactobacillus pentosus OM13 were characterized by the lowest concentrations of potential spoilage microorganisms. On the other hand, drupes mechanically harvested and subjected to spontaneous fermentation showed the highest concentration of Enterobacteriaceae and pseudomonads during transformation. The lowest decrease of pH (4.20) was registered for the trials inoc…

Deploying Genome Editing Tools for Dissecting the Biology of Nut Trees

Walnuts are among the most important nut crops grown in temperate regions of the world. Commercial production in California, and increasingly worldwide, relies on only few clonally grafted scion genotypes, particularly “Chandler,” and more recently clonally propagated disease-resistant rootstocks. Diseases, nematodes, insect pests, abiotic stresses, and other nutritional and environmental factors, can reduce walnut productivity and quality, affecting grower profitability. The California Walnut Breeding Program at UC Davis has developed and released scion cultivars and rootstocks to help address some of these problems. Sequencing of the walnut genome is expected to speed walnut breeding by f…

ATLANTE AGROCLIMATICO - agroclimatologia, pedologia, fenologia del territorio italiano

Caratteristiche dei frutti di una popolazione di castagno (Castanea sativa Mill.) autoctona dell'Etna

Crop Load and Rootstock Influence on Dry Matter Partitioning in Trees of Early and Late Ripening Peach Cultivars

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. vigor, starch, fruit size, Prunus persica ABSTRACT. Effect of crop load on dry matter partitioning was studied on 3-year-old peach ((Prunus persica (L.) Batsch (Peach Group)) trees of the early ripening 'Early May Crest' (EMC) grafted on 'GF677' and Penta (Prunus domestica L.) rootstock and the late ripening 'Flaminia' grafted on 'GF677' rootstock ((Prunus persica x Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D. A. Webb) and grown outdoors in 230-L containers, for 2 years. Fruit thinning was carried out 10 days after fruit set to produce different crop loads. Trees were sampled destructively throughout two growing seasons and divided into above- ground and root components, for dry matter …

PHENOLOGICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL STUDIES OF PISTACIA TEREBINTHUS L. GENOTYPES NATIVE OF BULGARIA WITH DIFFERENT ASSET OF TREE SEXUALITY

The genus Pistacia is a dioecious species staminate and pistillate inflorescences born on different trees and are wind pollinated. In pistachio orchards, female and male flowering periods are often not synchronized. In fact, male trees spread their pollen before the flowers of female trees become receptive. Pollination is commonly devoted to spontaneous males of P. terebinthus. In this research authors refer to the results obtained observing the phenology of the blooming period of monoicous genotypes of P. terebinthus discovered in the Rhodope Mountains (Bulgaria). In some selected trees phenological stages have been observed in situ. The blooming date is influenced by local environmental c…

Effect of rootstock on trunk growth and foliar mineral content in cv. Bianca pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) trees

Trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA) and mineral content were recorded for 4 years in the major Sicilian pistachio cultivar, Bianca, budded in 1991 onto eight in v/fro-propagated clonal rootstocks (Pistacia atlantica and P. integerrima) and one seedling rootstock (P. terebinthus). The trees were grown using standard cultural practices for Sicilian dry-land farming in a fine sandy soil, located inland in Sicily (20 km SW of Palermo, 350 m a.s.l.). From nine trees per rootstock, samples of 10 leaflets from the mid-section of current year shoots were taken yearly in August and analyzed for the main plant mineral elements (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and B). The TCSA was measured at the end of…

Canopy architecture appraisal by fractal dimension of "Florastar" peach trees grafted onto different rootstock

Water status and gas exchange of pistachio trees under different irrigation levels

The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological responses of pistachio trees to varying water supply in the attempt to identify reliable parameters to manage irrigation. Three different irrigation regimes were applied to 25-year-old pistachio trees of cultivar 'Bianca' on P. terebinthus rootstock. Midday stem water potential (ΨSWP), leaf relative water content (RWC), light-saturated net CO2assimilation (An), stomatal conductance (gs), and ambient conditions were monitored throughout the season, and light response curves of net photosynthesis were constructed. To reflect tree water status, trees were separated into three classes of ΨSWP, no deficit (ΨSWP> -1.5 MPa), mild defici…

Determination of intra-cultivar variation among sicilian olive germplasm by using microsatellite markers

Seasonal dynamics of photosynthesis and total carbon gain in bearing and nonbearing pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) shoots

Seasonal changes in leaf gas exchange, assimilation response to light and leaf area were monitored in bearing and nonbearing pistachio shoots. Shoot bearing status did not directly affect leaf photosynthetic rate. However, photosynthetic light-response curves strongly varied during the season demonstrating the dominant effect of the tree’s seasonal phenology on assimilation. Early in the season low photosynthetic rates were associated with high rates of dark respiration indicating limited photosynthesis in the young leaves. As leaves matured, dark respiration decreased and assimilation reached maximum values. Photosynthetic efficiency was strongly reduced late in the season due to leaf ag…

Sustainability of pistachio production (Pistacia vera L.) under supplemental irrigation in a Mediterranean climate

Abstract The objective of this study was to examine the effects of supplemental micro-irrigation, in a commercial rainfed orchard, on tree water status, gas exchange and productivity of Pistacia vera L. (cv Bianca) grafted on P. terebinthus. Irrigating with 10–15% of estimated full evaporative demand significantly increased average annual productivity by increasing yield in the on-crop year of this alternate bearing species. Irrigation increased yield by 30%, resulting in 1600 kg of in-shell product per ha. Irrigation delayed leaf senescence while flower bud abscission was not reduced until the third year of experiment. Irrigation did not improve gas exchange during Stage I (pericarp growth…

Aspetti agronomici della peschicoltura biologica nel Mezzogiorno d'Italia

Peach Planting systems in southern Italy ecophysiological aspects and tecnical Developments.

Caratterizzazione carpologica e genetico-molecolare mediante SSRs di genotipi di castagno (Castanea sativa Mill.) autoctoni del massiccio dell'Etna.

The Sicilian peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) germplasm: Horticultural characteristics and sanitary status

Sviluppo di un sensore per la stima della conduttanza dello strato limite fogliare in piante di pesco

Comportamento agronomico del ciliegio Lapins su portinnesti di diversa origine genetica

Caratterizzazione ecofisiologica della chioma di piante di pesco in impianti a bassa e ad alta densità

Genetic diversity and clonal variation within the main Sicilian olive cultivars based on morphological traits and microsatellite markers

The richness of Olea europaea (L.) genetic resources in Sicily is well documented. In the last 30 years, mostof the local cultivars, landraces and ecotypes have been gathered together in a large ex-situ collection,containing more than 300 genotypes. In this study, 45 putative clones of the main Sicilian olive cultivarswere characterized morphologically using microsatellite markers to unambiguously identify possiblesuperior genotypes. The microsatellites employed were polymorphic (observed heterozygosity = 0.71;polymorphic information content = 0.59), discriminated 52% of the genotypes and enabled the detectionof intra-cultivar polymorphism, derived from both somatic mutations, indicating th…

Chemical and sensorial characterization of monovarietal olive oils extracted from the sicilian cultivars collected in a germoplasm bank

The Sicilian peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) germplasm: Evaluation of genetic diversity using SSRs

The decrease in worldwide consumption of peaches due to the poor flavour quality of the fruit has increased the demand for new tasty cultivars. The availability of plant genetic resources is an important prerequisite for improving fruit quality by breeding. In Sicily there is a large collection of local cultivated peaches, whose production fills a niche in the local markets, but which is at risk of disappearing. Their characteristics include highly aromatic fruit and late ripening. Because of their important agronomic characteristics, the Department of Colture Arboree of Palermo University has collected the most interesting accessions to safeguard them and to use the indigenous resources in…

Identifying Host Molecular Features Strongly Linked With Responses to Huanglongbing Disease in Citrus Leaves

© 2018 Balan, Ibáñez, Dandekar, Caruso and Martinelli. A bioinformatic analysis of previously published RNA-Seq studies on Huanglongbing (HLB) response and tolerance in leaf tissues was performed. The aim was to identify genes commonly modulated between studies and genes, pathways and gene set categories strongly associated with this devastating Citrus disease. Bioinformatic analysis of expression data of four datasets present in NCBI provided 46–68 million reads with an alignment percentage of 72.95–86.76%. Only 16 HLB-regulated genes were commonly identified between the three leaf datasets. Among them were key genes encoding proteins involved in cell wall modification such as CESA8, pecti…

Identification of conserved genes linked to responses to abiotic stresses in leaves among different plant species

As a consequence of global climate change, certain stress factors that have a negative impact on crop productivity such as heat, cold, drought and salinity are becoming increasingly prevalent. We conducted a meta-analysis to identify genes conserved across plant species involved in (1) general abiotic stress conditions, and (2) specific and unique abiotic stress factors (drought, salinity, extreme temperature) in leaf tissues. We collected raw data and re-analysed eight RNA-Seq studies using our previously published bioinformatic pipeline. A total of 68 samples were analysed. Gene set enrichment analysis was performed using MapMan and PageMan whereas DAVID (Database for Annotation, Visuali…

Olivicoltura

Preliminary evaluation of sixPrunusrootstocks for peach in Italy

In Italy, the evaluation of rootstocks is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and carried out in a network of trials along the Country. This study evaluated growth and yield performance of ‘Big Top’ nectarine and ‘Rome Star’ peach grafted on six rootstocks of different origin and vigor, namely GF677 (the most widespread in Italy), Garnem, Adesoto, RootPac®20, RootPac®40, and RootPac®90, in three different locations, Castelvetrano (Sicily), Forlì and Cesena (Emilia-Romagna). Yield, number of fruits, trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA), average fruit weight, flesh firmness, soluble solids content (SSC) and titratable acidity (TA) were determined at the third leaf (2015). In all sites, tree…

L'essiccazione automatizzata mantiene la qualità del pistacchio

SSR-based DNA fingerprints reveal the genetic diversity of Sicilian olive (Olea europaeaL.) germplasm

Twelve published simple sequence repeat (SSR; microsatellite) markers, belonging to the ssrOeUA-DCA, GAPU and UDO series, were tested in a panel of 46 accessions of olive germplasm belonging to 30 unique cultivars collected in seven Provinces of Sicily. Four well-known reference olive cultivars were also added. The analysis was carried out on an automatic capillary sequencer using fluorescent dyes, and fragment sizes were determined using internal standards. The results allowed us to rank the SSRs assayed according to their information content and reproducibility. Up to 115 alleles were identified (119, if those unique to sport mutations were included), the frequency of which allowed geneti…

La pesca tabacchiera in Sicilia: opportunità da valorizzare.

Una recente indagine condotta nel territorio etneo dal Dipartimento Demetra dell'Università di Palermo, ha condotto all'individuazione di 7 diverse pesche piatte, raccolte e valutate presso un campo catalogo. Le pesche tabacchiere sono caratterizzate dal sapore dolce e da un profumo ed aroma inconfondibili. L'ampio calendario di maturazione, accentuato dalla conformazione del territorio, gli eccellenti caratteri organolettici e l'elevata richiesta da parte del consumatore, sono i presupposti per creare valide operazioni commerciali.

Preliminary identification of self-incompatibility genotypes of Sicilian almond landraces

Sicily is the main almond producer in Italy. The almond tree is one of the main protagonists of the Sicilian agrarian landscape, especially in the winter, when the bare branches are covered by white or pinkish flowers. Its presence is particularly significant in the province of Agrigento, in Syracuse and in Ragusa areas, where the almond nut is used for fresh consumption and for the preparation of typical sweets. The extremely rich Sicilian almond germplasm can be useful for genetic improvement, since many local landraces possess aromatic characteristics of the nuts of high value. Self-incompatibility in this species is gametophytic and controlled by a multi-allelic S locus, coding for the …

Olive Growing in a Time of Change: From Empiricism to Genomics

Since its beginning, the olive crop has been a long-lived agricultural system in the Mediterranean Basin being well adapted to this area. Traditional olive growing, still prevalent in most producing areas, is characterized by low tree density and rainfed orchards with low yield and manually harvested. The traditional olive growing technology is local, diverse, and empirically based. New high density, irrigated, and mechanically harvested orchards has been progressively planted since the end of World War II. These plantations produce high crops at low costs, but they reduce the diversity of cultivars, increase the demand of inputs and the risk of environment unbalances. The expansion and int…

Relationship Between Canopy Architecture and Fruit Quality on Peach Trees cv. "Rich May" Grafted onto Penta (Prunus domestica L.) and GF677 (Prunus persica x Prunus amygdalus)

Frutti di pistacchio a confronto in fase di conservazione

High quality extra virgin olive oil from olives attacked by the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera Tephritidae): which is the tolerable limit? Data from experimental ‘Nocellara del Belice’ and ‘Cerasuola’ olive groves in Sicily

The infestation due to the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), the key pest in most of world olive groves, has been monitored in six years, from 2004 to 2008 and in 2014, in eight coastal Sicilian olive groves consisting of ‘Cerasuola’ and ‘Nocellara del Belice’ cultivars. Infestation was recorded following the classical sampling method based on olive collection and dissection, in order to count live olive fruit fly instars (eggs, larvae and pupae) and exit holes. Four different infestation indexes, all of them calculated using data recorded at harvest, have been used to assess their relationship with the main three quality parameters of the olive oil obtained from the same olive sam…

Growth, yield and fruit quality of 'Tropic Snow' peach on size-controlling rootstocks under dry Mediterranean climates

Abstract A six-year trial was carried out to evaluate the vegetative and productive performance of low-chill, early-ripening ‘Tropic Snow’ peach grown on five peach × almond rootstocks, different for their vigor. The study was conducted in south-western Sicily using 45 V-trained peach trees planted in 2005 and grafted on GF677, the most common rootstock in Sicily, and four low-vigor rootstocks selected at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Pisa, namely IS5/8 (Polluce), IS5/19 (Castore), IS5/23, and IS5/29. Trunk circumference, winter and summer pruning weight, total number and weight of fruits per tree, and major fruit quality traits were recorded…

Identification of key genes and its chromosome regions linked to drought responses in leaves across different crops through meta-analysis of RNA-Seq data

Background Our study is the first to provide RNA-Seq data analysis related to transcriptomic responses towards drought across different crops. The aim was to identify and map which genes play a key role in drought response on leaves across different crops. Forty-two RNA-seq samples were analyzed from 9 published studies in 7 plant species (Arabidopsis thaliana, Solanum lycopersicum, Zea mays, Vitis vinifera, Malus X domestica, Solanum tuberosum, Triticum aestivum). Results Twenty-seven (16 up-regulated and 11 down-regulated) drought-regulated genes were commonly present in at least 7 of 9 studies, while 351 (147 up-regulated and 204 down-regulated) were commonly drought-regulated in 6 of 9 …

Root architectural traits of rooted cuttings of two fig cultivars: Treatments with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi formulation

Abstract Many fruit tree species develop symbioses relationships with mycorrhizal fungi by which they improve their efficiency in water and nutrient uptake and, in turn, increase their vegetative growth and productivity, particularly under stressful environments. These benefits origin from the effects that mycorrhizal determined on the root architecture, morphology and physiology. Usually, few attentions has been devoted to the tree root structure and function, especially, in fig plants during their growth phase in the nursery. Recently, several root traits or phenes have been reported as fundamental for the root functions such as the root length ratio (plant’s potential for the exploitatio…

Varietà locali, valore aggiunto per l'olio extravergine d'oliva

Following Pistachio Footprints in Italy

Miglioramento degli standard qualitativi nel vivaismo olivicolo: i risultati del Progetto OLVIVA

L'ambiente di coltivazione e le basi fisiologiche e fenologiche del ciclo produttivo

Genetic relationships, structure and parentage simulation among the olive tree (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea) cultivated in Southern Italy revealed by SSR markers

In this work, we assess both the morphological and genetic diversity of 68 important olive cultivars from three Southern Italian regions: Calabria, Campania and Sicily. Twenty-five phenotypic traits were evaluated and 12 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were analysed. All SSR primers were polymorphic and reliable. The total number of alleles per locus varied from 5 to 19 with an average number of 13.1 and a mean polymorphic information content (PIC) of 0.81. These results suggested high genetic diversity within these three olive germplasm collections. Morphological traits also showed significant variability amongst cultivars. Two cases of identity were found and ten statistically signif…

Toward the definition of a carbon budget model: seasonal variation and temperature effect on respiration rate of vegetative and reproductive organs of pistachio trees (Pistacia vera)

Summary This study, as a preliminary step toward the definition of a carbon budget model for pistachio trees (Pistacia vera L.), aimed at estimating and evaluating the dynamics of respiration of vegetative and reproductive organs of pistachio tree. Trials were performed in 2005 in a commercial orchard located in Sicily (370 m a.s.l.) on five bearing 20-year-old pistachio trees of cv. Bianca grafted onto Pistachio terebinthus L. Growth analyses and respiration measurements were done on vegetative (leaf) and reproductive (infructescence) organs during the entire growing season (April–September) at biweekly intervals. Results suggested that the respiration rates of pistachio reproductive and v…

RNA-Seq analysis to investigate alternate bearing mechanism in Pistacia vera L

Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) production suffers a high level of alternate bearing. The mechanism underlying this negative phenomenon is different from other species, such as apple and olive. Pistachio produces a high number of inflorescence buds every year that in heavy cropping trees (“ON”) mostly fall during the kernel development phase, which occurs in July-August. Primary metabolites (i.e., carbohydrates) play a key role in the signaling related to inflorescence bud abscission. In this work, RNA-Seq was used as a tool to investigate transcriptome of inflorescence buds and fruits, sampled from branches with low (“OFF”) and high (“ON”) crop load. Reference based RNA-Seq analysis using Ara…

Predicting olive flowering phenology with phenoclimatic models

In plants, day length and temperature are the major climatic factors that affect the transition from a phenological phase to the next one. Non-linear models, such as growing degree hours (GDH), have been successfully used to calculate thermal time required for spring bud burst in deciduous fruit trees. In this experiment, temperature records and blooming dates of olive trees in different years and for 10 different sites in the Italian territory were recorded. Olive booming time was correlated to the amount of (GDH) accumulated from the date of bud rest onset, calculated as the day when the maximum negative chilling units accumulation was reached (UTAH Model), to full bloom. The GDH model wa…

Effect of soil permanent grass cover on growth, yield and water status of rainfed olive trees in Sicily

The study was carried out in an olive grove located along the hills of northern Sicily where soil had been managed for decades by chemical weeding. Starting in 2008, one portion of the grove was left non-weeded, and the permanent grass cover was managed by mowing 2-3 times per year in winter and spring. In 2011, 2012 and 2013, yield, average drupe weight, percentage of drupe black color (veraison), trunk circumference, shoot elongation, and leaf relative water content (RWC) were determined on 34 adult trees of the cultivar 'Biancolilla' with uniform size and age. In 2013, soil organic matter content and leaf nutrient concentrations were also determined in the two portions of the grove. As e…

Le risorse genetiche autoctone e la frutticoltura di qualità tra tradizione e innovazione

The effect of explant cut and cytokinin type on micropropagation of fig (Ficus carica L.) 'Brown Turkey'

This study was conducted to micropropagate 'Brown Turkey' fig, one of the most popular cultivars in California, USA for fresh and dried uses. Nodal segments cut lengthwise or not were cultured on Woody Plant Medium containing 0.3, 1.0 or 3.0 μM of N6 benzyladenine (BA) or kinetin in a 3 (concentrations) × 2 (cytokinins) × 2 (explant types) factorial experiment. 60% of explants became contaminated with various microbes when the standard protocol of washing shoots for 3 h under running tap water. Microbial contamination was nearly eliminated when the running water rinse and the use of an ascorbic acid dip were eliminated. Phenolic exudation was not a problem. Shoots grew longer with more leav…

Germoplasma etneo di noce sotto la lente degli studiosi.

Modelli d'impianto "in parete" per una coltivazione sostenibile

Valutazione della suscettibilità del germoplasma siciliano di pesco al Plum Pox Virus (Sharka).

Genetic relationships analysis among 70 olive cultivars (olea europaea L.) native of southern Italy using morphological and molecular markers

Evaluation of Small Vase and Y-trellis Orchard Systems for Peach and Nectarine Production in Mediterranean Regions

Two peach planting systems, Small Vase (SV) and Y-trellis (Y), were evaluated and compared in the Mediterranean settings of Southern Italy. The two orchards were located next to each other on relatively uniform soil and terrain, and the observations included two peach (‘Rich May’ and ‘Summer Rich’) and two nectarine (‘Big Bang’ and ‘Nectaross’) cultivars. In the SV system, trees were spaced at 4.5 A— 2.5 m (888 trees/ha), whereas in the Y system, trees were spaced at 5.5 A— 2 m (909 trees/ha) and no canopy gap was left between rows. Yield per tree; fruit size grade; unit price of sold peaches for each size grade; materials, labor and associated costs for cultural management;…

Control of the crop load by NAA in relation to time of application and chemical concentration in Sicilian indigenous table olive cultivars

Early bearing and vegetative growth of 153 Sicilian olive accessions

In 2014, an olive germplasm collection was established in south-western Sicily, Italy. The collection included 153 Sicilian accessions and 3 international varieties (reference), each with 7 trees, spaced at 5×2 m and trained to hedgerow system. The aim of the trial was to study early growth and yield responses of the accessions to super-high planting density (SHD). Trunk cross sectional area, tree height, pruning weights, shoot positioning, blooming and fruit yield (kg tree-1) were measured in 2015 and 2016. Based on trunk growth and amount of prunings, the 153 accessions were separated into four categories of vigor as it follows: very high vigor (6 accessions), high vigor (13), medium vigo…

Is rootstock-induced dwarfing in olive an effect of reduced plant hydraulic efficiency?

We investigated the hydraulic architecture of young olive trees either self-rooted or grafted on rootstocks with contrasting size-controlling potential. Clones of Olea europea L. (Olive) cv ''Leccino'' inducing vigorous scion growth (Leccino ''Minerva'', LM) or scion dwarfing (Leccino ''Dwarf'', LD) were studied in different scion/rootstock combinations (LD, LM, LD/LD, LM/LM, LD/LM and LM/LD). Shoots growing on LD root systems developed about 50% less leaf surface area than shoots growing on LM root systems. Root systems accounted for 60-70% of plant hydraulic resistance (R), whereas hydraulic resistance of the graft union was negligible. Hydraulic conductance (K = 1/R) of LD root systems w…

Morphological, phenological and molecular characterization of the Sicilian indigenous olive (Olea europaea sativa L) germplasm

Horticultural performance of 23 Sicilian olive genotypes in hedgerow systems: Vegetative growth, productive potential and oil quality

Abstract The super high density (SHD) model is a new olive growing system characterized by earlier and higher yields, fully mechanized harvesting and reduced orchard management costs. Until recently all commercial SHD orchards were planted primarily with three varieties: ‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’ and ‘Koroneiki’. To increase variety diversity, broaden available olive oil chemical and organoleptic profiles, and olive oils for marketing, minor local varieties should be evaluated for adaptability to the SHD system. This study compares multiple Sicilian native genotypes to the three current cultivars ‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’ and ‘Koroneiki’. The cumulative fruit and oil production, trunk-cross sec…

Architettura e fisiologia della chioma in rapporto al vigore del portinnesto nella cultivar di pesco precoce Flordastar

Rootstock Effect on Stem Water Potential Gradients in cv. 'Armking' Nectarine Trees

The effects of rootstock vigour on scion xylem hydraulic conductivity were studied on potted trees of cv. ‘Armking’ nectarine grafted onto GF677 (vigorous) and MrS 2/5 (low-vigour) rootstocks. Water potential gradients of non-transpiring leaves were measured at three levels of the stem starting at 10 cm above the graft-point. Transpiration rates were estimated by weighing. Two sets of measurements were taken on the same trees, at two different transpiration-rate levels obtained by imposing a different level of evaporative demand. Measurements were taken after allowing transpiration to reach a steady-state (20 minutes after any environmental perturbation). Trees grafted onto the low-vigour r…

Il germoplasma autoctono di olivo siciliano

Variazioni dell'architettura della chioma di piante di pesco (Prunus persica (L.)Batsch) in rapporto al vigore del portinnesto

Modeling seasonal branch carbon dynamics in pistachio as a function of crop load

A simplified model for the prediction of carbon balance was developed to elucidate the seasonal trend of sink-source relationships in bearing and non-bearing pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) branches. Seasonal changes in growth rate of vegetative (leaf and shoot) and reproductive (infructescence) organs were monitored in branches of mature rainfed pistachio trees during the entire growing season (April–September). Simulations from the model were used to gain understanding of the implications of crop load on branch carbon (C) depletion and alternate bearing. Results showed that the pistachio branch was energetically able to sustain up to two infructescences (∼28 fruits) having a slightly positiv…

Meccanismi coinvolti nel controllo della crescita vegetativa in olivo attraverso l'impiego del portinnesto.

Indagini sull'attitudine alla conservazione di frutti del germoplasma di pesco siciliano: prime osservazioni su montagnole, percoche, sbergie e tabacchiere.

Frutta dell'Etna, patrimonio da valorizzare

Variability of fruit Quality of the Sicilian Peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) Germplasm

New selections of Prunus persica for low chill Mediterranean climate areas

In the late 1990s, CREA and the University of Palermo initiated a peach-breeding program in order to select new genotypes suitable for the fruit growing areas of southern Italy. These regions are generally characterized by short, mild winters and long, hot, dry summers. International cultivars grown in continental environments often have problems related to climatic limitations, such as the failure to satisfy the winter chill requirements. About 40 different peach and nectarine cultivars with different fruit characteristics (size, skin over colour, flesh firmness, sugar content, titratable acidity, absence of split-pit) were used as parents in a breeding program by CREA. The best selections…

Toward the valorization of olive (Olea europaea var. europaea L.) biodiversity: horticultural performance of seven Sicilian cultivars in a hedgerow planting system

Abstract An intense survey of the Sicilian’s olive growing areas for autochthonous germplasm, mainly represented by centennials olive trees (Olea europaea var. europaea L.) apparently older then III centuries, started at the beginning of the 1980s and resulted in the selection of more than 150 cultivars and accessions. This germplasm was propagated in a nursery, by grafting onto seedlings of Olea europaea L., and planted in an experimental orchard, in an olive district located in the South-west of the Island, where they were evaluated for over 30 years and selected for their early bearing, high and constant productivity, as well as high oil content of the fruits and excellent chemical (olei…

Vecchie varietà per una nuova peschicoltura in Sicilia

Fruiting, Morphology, and Architecture of ‘Arbequina’ and ‘Calatina’ Olive Branches

Two different olive cultivars grown under a high-density hedgerow system were studied to compare their fruiting and branch architecture features and to determine the possibility to use ‘Calatina’ olive trees for intensive plantings, as a local alternative to the international reference ‘Arbequina’. Weights of two-year-old branches, fruits and leaves were recorded to estimate the growth partitioning. Growth and architectural parameters, such as shoot length, vector and diameter, branching angle, branch total length, height, width, area, and branching frequency, were determined by digital image analysis. Digital images of the fruits were also used to estimate fruit maturation by peel color an…

Ecophysiological Characterization of the Canopy of Peach (P. persica L. Batsch) in Two Planting Systems

Innovare il vivaismo olivicolo con nuovi processi e prodotti.

OLIVEBIOTEQ Second International Seminar "Recent advances in olive industry"

Controllare l'alternanza per migliorare i pistacchi

High-resolution UAV imagery for field olive (Olea europaea L.) phenotyping

Remote sensing techniques based on images acquired from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) could represent an effective tool to speed up the data acquisition process in phenotyping trials and, consequently, to reduce the time and cost of the field work. In this study, we assessed the ability of a UAV equipped with RGB-NIR cameras in highlighting differences in geometrical and spectral canopy characteristics between eight olive cultivars planted at different planting distances in a hedgerow olive orchard. The relationships between measured and estimated canopy height, projected canopy area and canopy volume were linear regardless of the different cultivars and planting distances (RMSE of 0.12 m…

Interventi agronomici per migliorare la frutticoltura etnea.

Caratteristiche dei frutti di una popolazione di castagno (Castanea sativa Mill)autoctona dell'Etna

Il germoplasma autoctono del pesco [ P. persica (L.) Batsch] in Sicilia: aspetti fenologici, morfologici e molecolari.

Growth, Phenology, Production and Oil quality of the Cultivar Arbequina in high-density hedgerow in four different areas of Italy

The success of the traditional olive-growing sector in EU countries – characterised by high production costs and a low selling price for the oil – was mainly determined by EU subsidies available for the sector. With the opening of the "free trade" area and a cut in subsidies in 2014, crucial changes in the sector are now needed. In order to increase the competitiveness of EU olive production, attention should be given to new high-yielding, mechanized cultivation systems. In the 90s, Spain introduced new high-density planting systems (1,200-2,000 plants/ha) using three low-vigour and early-fruiting cultivars (‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’ and ‘Koroneiki’). Italian olive production lies in a geogra…

Control of Alternate Bearing in Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) Manipulation of the Vegetative and Reproductive Cycle.

Planting density, above-ground dry-matter partitioning and fruit quality in greenhouse-grown 'Flordaprince' peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) trees trained to 'free-standing Tatura'

SummaryThe effect of planting density on yield, fruit quality and above-ground dry-matter partitioning into vegetative and reproductive organs of six year old peach trees was investigated in Sicily on the very early-ripening cv Flordaprince in greenhouse. Increasing the number of trees per hectare from 1500 to 5000 significantly reduced total above-ground dry matter, trunk cross-sectional area and total leaf area. Differences in growth did not result in substantial modifications in the source-sink relationships between the vegetative and the reproductive organs of the above-ground part of the tree, as shown by the lack of statistical differences in dry-matter partitioning into fruit, leaves…

Gli oli a Denominazione di Origine Protetta (D.O.P.) della Sicilia: aspetti territoriali, varietali e qualitativi

The priming fingerprint on the plant transcriptome investigated through meta-analysis of RNA-Seq data

Plants may enter into a state of alert that allows them to deploy defensive measures in a more effective way upon stress occurrence. This phenomenon is termed defense priming, and it is started in plants with a still enigmatic priming phase in which complex molecular and physiological changes occur. During the priming phase the plant transcriptome is deeply affected, but it remains largely unclear the extent of the transcriptional changes that contribute to prime the plant. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis of publicly available RNA-Seq data obtained during different priming conditions and in different plant species in order to investigate the existence of a transcriptional "primi…

Effects of different irrigation regimes on a super-high-density olive grove cv. “Arbequina”: vegetative growth, productivity and polyphenol content of the oil

The effects of multiple irrigation regimes on the relationships among tree water status, vegetative growth and productivity within a super-high-density (SHD) “Arbequina” olive grove (1950 tree/ha) were studied for three seasons (2008–2010). Five different irrigation levels calculated as percentage of crop irrigation requirement using FAO procedures (Allen et al. in Crop evapotranspiration. Guidelines for computing crop water requirements. Irrigation and drainage paper 56. FAO, Rome, 1998) were imposed during the growing season. Periodically during the growing season, daytime stem water potential (Ψ STEM), inflorescences per branch, fruits per inflorescence and shoot absolute growth rate wer…

Transcriptome Analysis of Pistacia vera Inflorescence Buds in Bearing and Non-Bearing Shoots Reveals the Molecular Mechanism Causing Premature Flower Bud Abscission

The alteration of heavy (&ldquo

Molecular characterisation of Sicilian Prunus persica cultivars using microsatellites

In Sicily, a large indigenous population of cultivated peaches, nectarines, and platicarpa (flat peaches) shows a wide range of fruit quality and ripening periods. This diverse assortment of local cultivars is a resource, not yet exploited, for breeding programmes. The main purpose of this study was to fingerprint these indigenous accessions and to evaluate the molecular diversity between them. Forty indigenous and nine international accessions were analysed using 15 microsatellite, simple sequence repeat (SSR), markers. Some of the main morphological characteristics, such as flower type, petiole gland shape, flesh colour, and fruit ripening time, of these cultivars were also recorded. The …

An innovative method to produce green table olives based on "pied de cuve" technology

The technology of “pied de cuve” (PdC) is applied in food process only to produce wines with an enriched community of pro-technological yeasts. PdC promotes the growth of the desirable microbial strains in a small volume of grape must acting as a starter inoculums for higher volumes. The aim of the present work was to investigate the use of partially fermented brines, a technology known as PdC, developed with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on the microbiological, chemical and sensory characteristics of green fermented table olives during two consecutive campaigns. The experimental plan included two trials based on different PdCs: trial A, PdC obtained with Lactobacillus pentosus OM13; trial B, …

Tree Planting Density and Canopy Position Affect ‘Cerasuola’ and ‘Koroneiki’ Olive Oil Quality

To maximize orchard production and tree crop efficiency, optimization of both maximum orchard light interception and radiation distribution within the tree canopy are important strategies. To study the influence of planting density and fruit position within the canopy on oil quality from &lsquo

Analisi climatologiche alla toposcala per la valutazione della variabilità ambientale in rapporto alle esigenze ecologiche delle cultivar di pesco di due distretti frutticoli della Sicilia

Intra-cultivar Diversity in sicilian and calabrian olive (olea europaea L.) Cultivars Depicted by Morphological Traits and SSR Markers

In this study, SSR analysis was performed on a large number of putative clones of the main olive cultivars from two Italian regions, Sicily and Calabria, in order to study the genetic relatedness, and to detect any degree of genetic diversity, which can be used to unambiguously identify possible superior clones. These putative clones have been collected and observed in the last ten years, following an extensive investigation carried out in traditional olive growing areas, thanks to the reports of farmers, millers, technician, growers and nurseries. The set of microsatellite (SSR) markers used allowed the detection of the genetic diversity, resulting from somatic mutation, indicating the pre…

Artigianato e arredo

Root vacuolar sequestration and suberization are prominent responses of Pistacia spp. rootstocks during salinity stress

Abstract Understanding the mechanisms of stress tolerance in diverse species is needed to enhance crop performance under conditions such as high salinity. Plant roots, in particular in grafted agricultural crops, can function as a boundary against external stresses in order to maintain plant fitness. However, limited information exists for salinity stress responses of woody species and their rootstocks. Pistachio (Pistacia spp.) is a tree nut crop with relatively high salinity tolerance as well as high genetic heterogeneity. In this study, we used a microscopy‐based approach to investigate the cellular and structural responses to salinity stress in the roots of two pistachio rootstocks, Pis…

Transcriptomic responses to biotic stresses in Malus x domestica: a meta-analysis study.

AbstractRNA-Seq analysis is a strong tool to gain insight into the molecular responses to biotic stresses in plants. The objective of this work is to identify specific and common molecular responses between different transcriptomic data related to fungi, virus and bacteria attacks in Malus x domestica. We analyzed seven transcriptomic datasets in Malus x domestica divided in responses to fungal pathogens, virus (Apple Stem Grooving Virus) and bacteria (Erwinia amylovora). Data were dissected using an integrated approach of pathway- and gene- set enrichment analysis, Mapman visualization tool, gene ontology analysis and inferred protein-protein interaction network. Our meta-analysis revealed…

Utilization of phenoclimatic models to study the climatic changes on fruit trees phenology

Il pistacchio in Italia: interventi agronomici e tecnici per il miglioramento della coltura

La fenologia del pesco nel territorio italiano rappresentata nell'Atlante Agroclimatico del progetto CLIMAGRI

Morphological and SSR molecular markers based genetic variability in 39 olive cultivars ( Olea europaea L.) originated in Southern Italy

Effect of water stress on dry matter accumulation and partitioning in pot-grown olive trees (cv Leccino and Racioppella)

Abstract Three different water regimes were applied on young pot-grown olive trees of the cultivars Leccino and Racioppella, amounting to 100% (treatment T100), 50% (treatment T50) and 25% (treatment T25) of water transpiration as determined by pot weight. During the two-year trial the following parameters were measured: midday stem water potential, shoots growth, total leaf area per tree, dry matter accumulation and partitioning in different parts of the plant (root, wood, leaves and fruits). Dry matter was affected by the water regime and cultivar. The cv Leccino, for T100, displayed a greater accumulation of total dry matter and fruit dry matter, while these two parameters were greatly r…

Genetic similarity among Tunisian cultivated olive estimated through SSR markers

Olive (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea var. europaea) is one of the oldest fruit tree in the Mediterranean basin, and is cultivated for oil and canned fruit. Part of this interest is driven by the economic importance of olive oil which is increasing throughout the world due to its beneficial effect to human health. In Tunisia, olive has great socio-economic importance, with more than 60 millions olive trees cultivated for olive oil production including a wide range of cultivars which are widely extended from the north to the south regions of the country for its high economic value. Here, we applied microsatellites (SSRs) molecular markers to assess the genetic variability of the most impor…

Relationship between tree water status and physiology, yield, and fruit quality in the table olive (Olea europaea sativa L.) cultivar ‘Nocellara del Belice’

Although the olive (Olea europaea sativa l.) is considered a xerophytic species, long periods of water stress and high temperatures during summer months can greatly affect plant physiology and productivity. In recent years, the use of plant-based water status indicators have become popular in the study of plant-water relationships and in the design of irrigation programs, particularly midday stem water potential (ψstem). The current trend in the irrigation of olive trees is in the development of Deficit Irrigation (DI) systems whereby the water is applied at a rate which is lower than evapotranspiration needs, resulting in only very small reductions in yield. Rather than working towards min…

Selezione massale nel germoplasma autoctono di noce (Juglans regia L.) nel massiccio dell’Etna: variabilità dei tratti morfologici e molecolari di 40 genotipi.

La valorizzazione delle risorse genetiche del ciliegio autoctono della Sicilia

Utilizzazione di modelli fenoclimatici ai fini della valutazione delle esigenze termiche del ciliegio nelle diverse fasi del ciclo di sviluppo annuale

Horticultural management of pistachio orchards to increase productivity and fruit quality under the prevailing conditions of the mediterranean climate

Physiological and Structural Responses to Prolonged Water Deficit in Young Trees of Two Olive Cultivars

This study aimed to characterize the physiological and structural responses of potted one-year-old olive trees belonging to two olive cultivars—‘Nocellara del Belice’ and ‘Cerasuola’—exposed to prolonged drought under greenhouse conditions. Two irrigation treatments based on evapotranspiration (ET) were imposed for 69 days, i.e., well-watered (WW, 100% ET) and drought-stressed (DS, 10–30% ET). Leaf stomatal conductance (gs), stem water potential (Ψstem), transpiration (E), photosynthetic capacity (Amax), water use efficiency (WUE), stem (Kstem) and root (Kroot) hydraulic conductance, trunk diameter variations (TDV), and leaf patch attenuated pre…

Use of phenoclimatic models to estimate the chill and heat requirements of four sweet cherry cultivars in Italy

During their dormant period, fruit trees require a certain amount of relatively low temperatures to complete bud differentiation processes and regularly resume growth the following spring. Unsatisfied chilling needs can result in delayed foliation, severe yield and fruit quality losses. There is a need for a method to estimate accurately the chilling requirement of a cultivar. This is especially important in those areas where the potential of chill accumulation in winter is low and for those crops, such as sweet cherry, which generally have a high chilling requirement. Historical temperature records and blooming dates of four sweet cherry cultivars widely cultivated in Italy - 'Burlat', 'Sw…

Concimazione fogliare con urea, buoni risultati su pistacchio.

Genetic diversity of fig (Ficus caricaL.) genotypes grown in Southern Italy revealed by the use of SSR markers

The genetic variability among 181 fig (Ficus carica L.) accessions found in small farms located in Campania, Basilicata, Apulia, Calabria and Sicily was investigated analysing the polymorphism of 18 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The SSR analysis revealed a large genetic diversity among accessions. A total of 117 alleles were detected with a mean of 6.5 locus-1. The average expected (He) and observed heterozygosity (Ho) were 0.56 and 0.66, respectively. The mean polymorphic information content (PIC) was 0.51, suggesting a significant molecular diversity among the fig accessions taken into consideration. The UPGMA cluster analysis discriminated 174 genotypes and allowed to find 8 grou…

Tecnica colturale da migliorare per l'olivo da mensa del Belice

A control of the crop load by NAA in relation to time of application and chemical concentration in Sicilian indigenous table olive cultivars

Indagini sulla crescita dei frutti e sulle caratteristiche qualitative dell’olio in rapporto alla carica produttiva in due cultivar di olivo siciliane

Variabilità morfologica e molecolare di genotipi siciliani di noce comune (Juglans regia) selezionati in base alle caratteristiche carpologiche

Genetic Characterization of Tunisian Olive Table Cultivars (Olea europaea L.): Inventory Based on Microsatellite Analysis

Olive (Olea europaea L.) is an ancient crop which spread from the Middle East towards the westem Mediterranean region. In addition lo its agronomical and economical importance, the olive industry has a great social and cultural interest as part of our heritage. In order to characterize and to study the genetic relationship among cultivars, five polymorphic microsatellite loci were used in this study and were generated a total of 56 polymorphic alleles with an average of 11 alleles by locus. For all genotypes, the highest number of polymorphic alleles was obtained by the locus UD0043 and GAPU 103. The polymorphism index content ranged from 0.836 for the locus ssrOeUADCA-04 and 0.919 for the …

La dimensione frattale come strumento per valutare l'architettura della chioma nel pesco: osservazioni sulla cultivar Flordastar innestata su quattro portinnesti

The effect of different vigour olive clones on growth, dry matter partitioning and gas exchange under water deficit

Abstract In the last decade, high-density olive planting systems have been developed to facilitate less costly mechanical harvesting and pruning by using straddle harvesters. High-density orchards allow faster production since the first crop of fruit starts a few years after planting. In high-density orchards the control of tree size is essential. It is possible to control the vigour and size of the tree by selecting suitable cultivars, by choosing rootstocks capable of controlling scion vigour and, finally, by applying deficit irrigation to reduce plant vegetative growth. Knowledge of tree water requirements is needed for precise irrigation scheduling. In this study, the dwarfing capacity …

INTRA-CULTIVAR DIVERSITY IN SOUTHERN ITALY OLIVE CULTIVARS DEPICTED BY MORPHOLOGICAL TRAITS AND SSR MARKERS

In this study, SSR analysis was performed on a large number of putative clones of the main olive cultivars from two Italian regions, Sicily and Calabria, in order to study the genetic relatedness, and to detect any degree of genetic diversity, which can be used to unambiguously identify possible superior clones. These putative clones have been collected and observed in the last ten years, following an extensive investigation carried out in traditional olive growing areas, thanks to the reports of farmers, millers, technician, growers and nurseries. The set of microsatellite (SSR) markers used allowed the detection of the genetic diversity, resulting from somatic mutation, indicating the pre…

Variazioni qualitative dei frutti di diverse cultivar di pistacchio nel corso della conservazione

Urea as a thinning agent in olive: The influence of concentration and time of application

Urea was tested as chemical thinner on olive cv. Nocellara del Belice using three concentrations (2, 4 and 6%) applied at full bloom (FB), FB + 10 and FB + 20 days. Urea reduced fruit set significantly only when applied at FB + 20 days, the fruitlet stage. Final fruit set was reduced by about 50% compared with the untreated control (6% FB + 20 days). Crop load and fruit characteristics were both affected by the treatments.

Identification of self(in)compatibility genotypes and microsatellite marker based fingerprinting of traditional italian sweet cherry accessions

Italy is one of the main European sweet cherry producers and it has a rich germplasm, including many minor local varieties that have not been well studied or used in breeding programmes. Sweet cherry is self-incompatible, with few exceptions; its incompatibility is controlled by a multi-allelic S locus, which is gametophytically expressed. The knowledge of S-alleles and cross-incompatibility groups of sweet cherry genotypes and cultivars is important for growers and breeders. In this work we analysed 48 traditional sweet cherry varieties and cultivars, mainly from Calabria and Emilia Romagna regions, together with eight Sicilian cultivars and the standard set of reference genotypes proposed…

Detecting Mild Water Stress in Olive with Multiple Plant-Based Continuous Sensors.

A comprehensive characterization of water stress is needed for the development of automated irrigation protocols aiming to increase olive orchard environmental and economical sustainability. The main aim of this study is to determine whether a combination of continuous leaf turgor, fruit growth, and sap flow responses improves the detection of mild water stress in two olive cultivars characterized by different responses to water stress. The sensitivity of the tested indicators to mild stress depended on the main mechanisms that each cultivar uses to cope with water deficit. One cultivar showed pronounced day to day changes in leaf turgor and fruit relative growth rate in response to water w…

Scelte agronomiche e gestione colturale nella peschicoltura siciliana: risultati di un biennio di osservazioni.

Canopy Architecture Appraisal by Fractal Dimension of 'Flordastar' Peach Trees Grafted onto Different Rootstocks

The objective of this research was to evaluate the modification of canopy architecture of ''Flordastar'' peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) grafted onto rootstocks with different vigour, by the use of fractal dimension (D). The hypothesis was that different vigour rootstocks are able to modify the complexity of the branching pattern and that this effect can be assessed by a geometric parameter such as the fractal dimension (D) of the 2D projection of tree branching structure. The observations were carried out in a four-year-old experimental orchard of cv. ''Flordastar'' peach trees grafted onto Ishtara, Barrier, GF677 and MrS 2/5 rootstocks. On digital pictures of leafless, dormant peach tree…

La talea

Stima dei consumi idrici di piante di pesco (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) innestate su portinnesti di diverso vigore

The "Inclined Double-Walls" Peach Planting Systems in South Italy: Ecophysiological Aspects and Technical Developments

Growth and physiological responses of young olive trees affected by Olive leaf yellowing associated virus

We studied the effect of Olive leaf yellowing associated virus (OLYaV) on biometric and physiological changes in olive. The trial was carried out on 32 two-yearold virus-free trees of 'Frantoio' grafted on virus-free olive seedlings and grown in 32-L pots. Half of the trees were inoculated with OLYaV in the fall of 2007. At 6, 18, and 24 months after inoculation, tree height, basal trunk diameter and total leaf number were determined, and leaf area tree-1 was estimated from a 50-leaf subsample. Twigs of various order were also counted and measured. At the end of the experiment, dry matter partitioning, leaf gas exchange and water potential were also measured. Total twig length and number, t…

Effect of planting system on productivity, dry-matter partitioning and carbohydrate content in aboveground components of 'Flordaprince' peach trees

Vegetative growth, fruit yields, and dry matter partitioning within above-ground components were assessed during three growing seasons for trees of an early ripening peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch `Flordaprince' on GF 677 rootstock) trained either to a free standing central leader (930 trees/ha) or to Y shape (1850 trees/ha). Individual trees trained to central leader gave higher fruit yield, had a significantly greater leaf area and accumulated more dry mass in above-ground components per tree than Y shape trees. The training systems did not differ in terms of yield efficiency (yield per trunk cross-sectional area) and leaf area index (LAI), but Y shape trees had a higher harvest index an…

Biomass and volume modeling in Olea europaea L. cv "Leccino"

Key message: This work demonstrates that the Olive tree, which is managed and pruned as a fruit tree, can be treated as a forest tree using allometric equations, to estimate both biomass production and volumes. Abstract: The Olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is an evergreen tree that can grow and accumulate a relatively high amount of dry matter, even in dry environmental conditions common in the Mediterranean basin and typical of traditional rain-fed agriculture. The objective of this research was to develop a tool to predict woody biomass and tree component volume for the olive tree, to be used for different agricultural and environmental purposes. The study was carried out in six olive grove…

Stato nutrizionale delle piante di "Bianca di Bronte" sottoposte a concimazione fogliare con urea ed estratti proteici.

La qualità delle olive non peggiora con alte produzioni

Bloming Time of Nine Sicilian Male Genotypes of Pistachio (P. vera L.) as Related to the Flowering Period of Six Female Cultivars Originated in the Mediterranean and in Central Asia Countries

Primi risultati in Sicilia sul comportamento agronomico del ciliegio Lapins su portinnesti di diversa origine genetica

Si riferisce dei risultati relativi a sei anni di osservazioni sul comportamento agronomico della cultivar Lapins in combinazione con sei diversi portinnesti contraddistinti da diverso potenziale di crescita vegetativa. Le indagini sono state condotte in Sicilia, .presso un impianto sperimentale condotto in asciutto, con alberi allevati a vaso a bassa impalcatura. Dalle prove condotte è emersa la capacità dei portinnesti Weiroot 53 e Gisela 6 di contenere la crescita vegetativa del 50% circa e di anticipare la fruttificazione rispetto a MaxMa 60 e F12/1, risultati i soggetti più vigorosi. Tra questi ultimi, si conferma l’affidabilità dell’SL 64 che ha mostrato di poter associare buona capac…

Vivaismo olivicolo

La peschicoltura tardiva siciliana

Gaining Insight into Exclusive and Common Transcriptomic Features Linked to Drought and Salinity Responses across Fruit Tree Crops

The present study aimed at identifying and mapping key genes expressed in root tissues involved in drought and salinity tolerance/resistance conserved among different fruit tree species. Twenty-six RNA-Seq samples were analyzed from six published studies in five plant species (Olea europaea, Vitis riparia Michx, Prunus mahaleb, Prunus persica, Phoenix dactylifera). This meta-analysis used a bioinformatic pipeline identifying 750 genes that were commonly modulated in three salinity studies and 683 genes that were commonly regulated among three drought studies, implying their conserved role in resistance/tolerance/response to these environmental stresses. A comparison was done on the genes th…

Transpiration rates and hydraulic conductance of two olive genotypes with different sensitivity to drought

Although some mechanisms of leaf dehydration tolerance are known in olive (Olea europaea L.), insights on adjustments in stem and root hydraulic conductance (K) in response to drought are yet to be explored. This work investigated transpiration mechanisms and K regulations in two olive genotypes showing different sensitivity to drought stress. In 2017, one-year-old potted ‘Nocellara del Belice’ (NB) and ‘Cerasuola’ (CE) plants were set in a greenhouse and double-bagged to avoid evaporation from soil surface. Half of the plants were drought-stressed (DS, no irrigation) for more than 30 days and the remaining plants were well-watered (WW). At the end of the drought period, stem and root porti…

Effects of irrigation treatments on the quality of table olives produced with the Greek-style process

The irrigation of olive orchards is commonly applied to produce table olives with optimal size. No data have been published on the microbiological quality of drupes from irrigated olive groves during fermentation. The trials T100 and T50 (receiving a water amount equivalent to 100 % and 50 % of the required amount, respectively) and control T0 (rainfed trial) were monitored during two consecutive years. The results showed a significant increase of equatorial diameter and flesh:pit ratio of irrigated drupes. The decrease of pH and the numbers of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) registered for the irrigated trials during the fermentation were more consistent than those displayed by control T0. Lact…

Rootstock influences seasonal dry matter and carbohydrate content and partitioning in aboveground components of 'Flordaprince' peach trees

Seasonal development of leaf area, leaf area index (LAI), dry matter, and carbohydrate content were measured from harvest 1992 to harvest 1993 in above-ground components of `Flordaprince' peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] trees grafted on GF 677 (Prunus persica × Prunus amygdalus) and MrS 2/5 (Prunus cerasifera free pollinated) rootstocks, which widely differ in vigor. Whole trees were separated into fruit, leaves, shoots, 1-year-old wood and >1-year-old wood. Sampling dates were coincident with key fruit and tree developmental stages: dormancy, fruit set, pit hardening, and fruit harvest. Rootstock modified the vegetative vigor of the tree, the seasonal partitioning of dry matter, and …

Morphological characteristics, microsatellite fingerprinting and determination of incompatibility genotypes of Sicilian sweet cherry cultivars

Sicily has extensive germplasm of diploid sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) that has not been well studied. In this investigation, 39 cherry accessions, selected from collections and farms, were analysed using molecular markers and characterised for various morphological and other agronomic characters such as flesh colour, fruit size, quality and, in some cases, ripening periods. Thirteen Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) primer pairs, as well as two primer pairs for the incompatibility (S) locus, which amplified across the first intron of the S-RNase gene and across the intron of the SFB gene, were used in three multiplexed reactions to analyse the accessions. The number of alleles per SSR locus r…

Evoluzione tecnica dei sistemi d'impianto nella peschicoltura degli ambienti a clima tipicamente mediterraneo

In peach industry, due to the increasing cost of the land, energy and salaries, in the last thirty years have been developed horticultural strategies to increase the productivity of the orchards and to reduce the employment of hand workers. In areas in which large part of the days are brilliant, clean sky, with high levels of light intensity, and relative humidity is low, as those with a Mediterranean climate, to reach the above mentioned goal have been developed planting systems based on high tree densities and new tree shapes. In Southern Italy, technicians have been particularly active in performing new tree canopy architectures and growers showed to be very sensitive to these innovation…

Il germoplasma autoctono del pesco (P. persica L. Batsch) in Sicilia: aspetti fenologici, morfologici e molecolari

ATLANTE AGROCLIMATICO - Scenari di cambiamento climatico

La frutticoltura meridionale: recupero del patrimonio arboreo, vocazionalità ambientale e nuovi sistemi colturali

Variazioni dei descrittori fisici,chimici e biochimici della qualità di un suolo vulcanico coltivato a pistacchio (Pistacea vera L.)in rapporto alle concimazioni fogliari con urea e con estratti proteici.

Recupero e caratterizzazione delle accessioni di ciliegio (Prunus avium l.) del germoplasma autoctono della calabria

Olivo: le varietà siciliane adatte alla raccolta meccanica

Fenologia, aspetti qualitativi dei frutti e stato sanitario di progenie F1 di pesco ottenute nell'ambito del programma di miglioramento genetico basato sul germoplasma autoctono siciliano

The Sicilian Peach (prunus persica L. Batsch) Germplasm: Evaluation of the Genetic Diversity Using SSRs

Evoluzione tecnica dei modelli di impianto nella peschicoltura degli ambienti mediterranei

Una costante attenzione verso l’ottimizzazione dei fattori della produzione ha determinato una rapida adozione delle innovazioni proposte dalla ricerca nel campo dei sistemi d’impianto, per la grande importanza che essi rivestono nella qualità delle produzioni e nella redditività della coltura. Riduzione dei costi di produzione e massima efficienza della manodopera gli obiettivi prioritari, talora ottenuti attraverso l''“estensivizzazione” colturale, con bassi costi d’investimento. Un confronto fra l’Italia meridionale, California e Cile.

Gaining Insight into Exclusive and Common Transcriptomic Features Linked with Biotic Stress Responses in Malus

Identifying key information in transcriptomic data is very important, especially when the “omic” study deals with plant responses to stresses in field conditions where a high number of variables and disturbing factors may affect the analysis. In this meta-analysis we collected 12 transcriptomic works in Malus in order to identify which key genes, proteins, gene categories are involved in general plant pathological conditions and those features linked with exclusive biotic stress responses. Those genes that are only related with molecular responses to pathogen attacks and those linked with other plant physiological processes were identified. A pipeline composed by pathway and gene set enrich…

Transcriptomic Analysis of the Pistacia vera (L.) Fruits Enable the Identification of Genes and Hormone-Related Gene Linked to Inflorescence Bud Abscission

Pistacia vera (L.) is an alternate bearing species. The tree produces axillary inflorescence buds every year. Still, they abscise in “ON” overloaded shoots, causing a limited production in the following “OFF” year, causing a significant and unfavorable production fluctuation. In this work, we carried out de novo discovery and transcriptomic analysis in fruits of “ON” and “OFF” shoots of the cultivar Bianca. We also investigated whether the fruit signaling pathway and hormone biosynthesis directly or indirectly linked to the premature fall of the inflorescence buds causing alternate bearing. We identified 1536 differentially expressed genes (DE…

Comportamento bio-agronomico di cultivar extraprecoci di pesco e nettarine in tre tipologie d'impianto: risultati di un triennio di osservazioni

Effect of rootstock on growth, yield and fruit characteristics in cv 'Bianca' pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) trees

This paper, following preliminary field evaluation trials started in 1993, reports a study on the effect of eight different in vitro-propagated clonal rootstocks (P. atlantica and P. integerrima) and one seedling rootstock (P. terebinthus) on the vegetative and productive behaviour of pistachio cultivar 'Bianca'. The trees, budded in 1991, were grown using standard cultural practices for dry-land farming in a sandy clay loam soil, located inland in Sicily. On average, clones of P. integerrima (I-6 and I-2) were the most vigorous rootstocks. Clones of P. atlantica had intermediate vigour. Rootstock significantly affect yield but not fruit weight, kernel to nut ratio, splitting and blanking p…

Automatic detection and agronomic characterization of olive groves using high-resolution imagery and LIDAR data

The Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union grants subsidies for olive production. Areas of intensified olive farming will be of major importance for the increasing demand for oil production of the next decades, and countries with a high ratio of intensively and super-intensively managed olive groves will be more competitive than others, since they are able to reduce production costs. It can be estimated that about 25-40% of the Sicilian oliviculture must be defined as “marginal”. Modern olive cultivation systems, which permit the mechanization of pruning and harvest operations, are limited. Agronomists, landscape planners, policy decision-makers and other professionals have a grow…

Gas Exchanges and Stem Water Potential Define Stress Thresholds for Efficient Irrigation Management in Olive (Olea europea L.)

With climate change and decreased water supplies, interest in irrigation scheduling based on plant water status is increasing. Stem water potential (ΨSWP) thresholds for irrigation scheduling in olive have been proposed, however, a physiologically-based evaluation of their reliability is needed. A large dataset collected at variable environmental conditions, growing systems, and genotypes was used to characterize the relation between ΨSWP and gas exchanges for olive. Based on the effect of drought stress on the ecophysiological parameters monitored, we described three levels of stress: no stress (ΨSWP above about −2 MPa), where the high variability of stomatal conductance (gs) suggests a ti…

Seasonal changes in starch content in pistachio organs as related to crop load

The alternate bearing in pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) results from inflorescence buds abscission differentiated on current season growth during the year of heavy crop. Inflorescence bud drop has been directly correlated with the presence of fruits on 1-year shoot, and in particular with the kernel grow that acts as the major sink of nutrients. Experimental evidences suggest the involvement of competition between reproductive organs for the available resources. The annual carbohydrates storage was analysed in mature pistachio trees characterized by low, medium and high crop load (about 1, 7 and 11 kg tree(-1) of dry in-shell nuts). The experiment was carried out in 2013 in a commercial pista…

Capiflora, an italian research project on the monoecism of P. terebinthus

VALUTAZIONE QUALITATIVA SU 3 CULTIVAR DI PISTACCHIO DI DIVERSA ORIGINE GEOGRAFICA

Genetic Diversity of Major Olive Varieties from Southern Tunisia

Considering the importance of olive-growing in Tunisia, microsatellite (SSR) analysis was used to study the genetic variation among twenty olive accessions from southern Tunisia. This set of olive microsatellites showed potential utility for genetic studies and it could contribute to the development of strategies for Tunisian germplasm conservation and breeding. Unweighted pair group method cluster analysis was performed and cultivars separated in three main groups. Five polymorphic simple sequence repeats (SSR) loci were employed and they revealed 38 alleles with a mean number of 7.6 alleles per locus. Genetic variability was wide as indicated by high values of both observed heterozygosity…

Indagine sulla variabilità molecolare del germoplasma del pesco autoctono della Sicilia, mediante l’uso di SSRs (Simple Sequence Repeats).

Individuazione e caratterizzazione del germoplasma autoctono della frutticoltura etnea

A carbon budget model to predict branch carbohydrate deficiencies as a function of water stress and crop load in pistachio (Pistacia veraL.)

The effect of irrigation and crop load on alternate bearing was studied in pistachio tree using a “branch carbon budget model” developed to calculate branch carbohydrate balance. Experiences were conducted in Sicily (37°26’N, 14°03’E, 360 m a.s.l.) on female trees of ‘Bianca’. Two treatments were applied: rainfed (T0) and 100 mm of irrigation (T100). At 29, 44, 65, 86, 103 and 121 DAFB, on one fully expanded leaf selected on three trees per treatment, were monitored leaf gas exchanges. At 15 days interval, three branches treatment-1 were excised and, in the lab, the following parameters were measured: total photosynthetically active leaf surface; number of leaves, fruits, shoot fresh weight…

CULTIVAR DI OLIVO SICILIANE. Identificazione validazione, caratterizzazione morfologica e molecolare e qualità degli oli. Contiene manuale per la caratterizzazione primaria di cultivar di olivo siciliane.

Effect of rootstock vigour on dry matter partitioning in olive (Olea europaea L.)

Deciphering transcriptional regulation mechanisms underlining fruit development and ripening in Vitis vinifera

BACKGROUND: Grapes (Vitis vinifera ) are an important woody crop cultivated in a broad range of environmental conditions. Grapefruit development is a physiological process whose molecular regulatory networks are still not sufficiently investigated. OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of the work was to identify which key genes, molecular mechanisms and networks were involved in fruit ripening and development through a comparison of available transcriptomic data at different stages during grape development and ripening. Secondly, we aimed at identifying among these fruit-related genes, which genes play also a functional role in other developmental and physiological processes in reproductive tissues (…

Modeling the seasonal carbon balance of Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.): the effect of crop load

Peach Planting Systems in Southern Italy: Ecophysiological Aspects and Technical Developments

Indagine sull'attitudine alla conservazione di frutti del germoplasma di pesco siciliano: prime osservazioni su montagnole, percoche, sbergie e tabacchiere.

Effetti della concimazione fogliare con urea e con estratti proteici sui descrittori fisici, chimicie biochimici della qualità di un suolo vulcanico coltivato a pistacchio (Pistacia vera L.)

La produttività di una coltura e la qualità delle produzioni sono strettamente correlate alla disponibilità dei nutrienti nel suolo. In passato, la concimazione era vista quasi esclusivamente come mezzo per massimizzare le produzioni unitarie delle colture mentre venivano trascurati alcuni aspetti, oggi divenuti fondamentali come, per esempio, il mantenimento di ottimi livelli di fertilità del terreno in assenza di rischi di inquinamento ambientale. La valutazione della fertilità complessiva di un suolo e della relativa qualità è, pertanto divenuto, uno dei principali fattori ai fini dello sviluppo di modelli colturali a basso impatto ambientale. Nella presente nota si riferisce dei primi r…

Influence of fruit canopy position and maturity on yield determinants and chemical composition of virgin olive oil

Background While both maturity and light exposure are important factors determining olive fruit physiology, the relationship between maturity, canopy position and optimal harvesting time has not been well-studied. To understand the interaction of these factors, olive fruits from upper and lower layers of the canopy were harvested from September to January. Maturity, moisture and fat content of the fruit as well as the quality and minor components of the oil extracted were measured. Results Lower light interception at the lower canopy positions resulted in differences in the fruits and oil extracted between canopy layers. Upper layer presented 60% of the overall production; fruit had one uni…

Le cultivar di olivo (Olea europaea L.)siciliane della collezione costituita dal Dipartimento di Colture Arboree di Palermo presso l’azienda ‘Campo Carboj’ dell’Ente di Sviluppo Agricolo della Regione Siciliana.

Effetto del vigore del portinnesto sul comportamento vegetativo della nettarina Armking al primo anno di crescita

Rese dei pistacchieti etnei a rischio per il poco polline.

Genetic Improvement of Sweet Chestnut in Sicily (Castanea sativa Mill.) by the Selection of Superior Autochthonous Genotypes

In Sicily, the chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) grows in limited areas of the South eastern Mt. Etna volcano and of the Northern Mountains, namely Madonie and Nebrodi. In the Island, chestnut can be considered as a neglected species, because of the modest importance recognized to it for horticultural and forestry exploitation. Recently, the Sicilian regional government founded the 'Horticultural Forestry' project to promote the cultivation of chestnut as possible fruit tree for local city farmer markets, where typical products are usually sold. The project was developed in five steps, carried out during three years by the Dipartimento di Colture Arboree of Palermo University: identification…

Valutazione della suscettibilità del germoplasma siciliano di pesco al virus della Sharka (PPV).

Crescita vegetative ed aspetti ecofisiologici in giovani piante di olivo inoculate con il virus associato all’ingiallimento fogliare (OLYaV).

The Sicilian Peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) Germplasm: Phenological, Morphological and Horticultural Diversity and Sanitary Status

The Effect of Plant Water Status on the Chemical Composition of Pistachio Nuts (Pistacia vera L. Cultivar Bianca)

Pistachio nuts are worldwide appreciated for their chemical and organoleptic profiles. There are several studies on the influence of irrigation on pistachio productivity, whereas there are little available data on the influence on nut quality. In this study we characterized some qualitative traits of pistachio nuts cultivar Bianca in Mediterranean environment and how plant water status affected them. Water status had a positive and significant influence on the chlorophylls content, nuts from less stressed trees showed higher values of chlorophyll a (14.7 mg/100 g) and b (21.1 mg/100 g) compared than more stressed trees (9.3 and 11.5 mg/100 g for a and b, respectively). Solid phase microextr…

The first high-density sequence characterized SNP-based linkage map of olive (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea) developed using genotyping by sequencing

A number of linkage maps have been previously developed in olive; however, these are mostly composed of markers that have not been characterized at the sequence level, supplemented with smaller numbers of microsatellite markers. In this investigation, we sought to develop a saturated linkage mapping resource for olive composed entirely of sequence characterized markers. We employed genotyping by sequencing to develop a map of a F2 population derived from the selfing of the cultivar Koroneiki. The linkage map contained a total of 23 linkage groups comprised of 1,597 tagged SNP markers in 636 mapping bins spanning a genetic distance of 1189.7 cM. An additional 6,658 segregating SNPs were asso…

Growth analysis and mineral content in pistachio (Pistacia veraL.) infructescence and its components

SummaryGrowth and seasonal variation in mineral content was described for infructescence components of ‘Bianca’ pistachio cultivar grafted onto Pistacia therebintus L. The absorption curve specific to each infructescence and fruit component was calculated on a percent dry weight and an absolute content basis. Nutrient uptake by infructescence components was consistent with their development rate. The embryo was the strongest sink for N, P and Mg uptake. Pericarp and rachis accounted for more than 80% of K and Ca accumulated in the infructescence. The highest accumulation rate occurred during rapid embryo growth.

Caratterizzazione molecolare del germoplasma siciliano di ciliegio dolce per la selezione di nuove varietà autofertili.

A new self-compatibility haplotype in the sweet cherry 'Kronio', S5' attributable to a pollen-part mutation in the SFB gene

‘Kronio’ is a Sicilian cultivar of sweet cherry (Prunus avium), nominally with the incompatibility genotype S 5 S 6 , that is reported to be naturally self-compatible. In this work the cause of its self-compatibility was investigated. Test selfing confirmed self-compatibility and provided embryos for analysis; PCR with consensus primers designed to amplify S-RNase and SFB alleles showed that the embryos were of two types, S 5 S 5 and S 5 S 6 , indicating that S 6 pollen failed, but S 5 succeeded, perhaps because of a mutation in the pollen or stylar component. Stylar RNase analysis indicated active S-RNases for both S 5 and S 6 . The S-RNase alleles were cloned and sequenced; and sequences …

Two new planting systems for early ripening peaches (Prunus persica L. Batsch): Yield and fruit quality in four low-chill cultivars

SummaryTrees of peach cvs Flordastar, Flordaprince, Flordacrest and Maravilha, low in chill requirement (Flordaprince 150; Flordacrest 350 C.U.), with a short fruit development period (Flordaprince 90; Flordacrest 110 d) and a very early ripening time (Flordastar mid May; Flordacrest first week of June), were planted in Sicily (37° 30′ Lat. N) both in a medium (667 trees per ha) and a high density (2000 trees per ha) plantation system. In the medium density planting system, the trees were trained to a Fusetto, and in the high density to a Y-shape. Both in the Fusetto and Y, the size of the trees was controlled by severe pruning soon after harvest, consisting in the shortening of most of the…

Low Tree Vigor, Free Palmette Training Form, and High Planting Density Increase Olive and Oil Yield Efficiency in Dry, Sloping Areas of Mediterranean Regions

Exploiting biodiversity must be considered today an effective strategy to improve the sustainability of olive production systems. The evaluation of local cultivars, based on their vegetative and fruiting traits, along with an analysis of product quality, may contribute significantly to the development and diffusion of new olive-growing systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate growth, productivity, and olive oil quality of three Sicilian cultivars with different vigor/growth habit grown in four different combinations of training form and planting density. ‘Abunara’, ‘Calatina’, and ‘Nocellara del Belice’ olive trees were planted in four different int…

The sustainability of olive orchard planting management for different harvesting techniques: An integrated methodology

Abstract The globalization of the olive oil market has caused greater competitiveness in terms of olive oil quality and production costs and the main countries interested in olive growing, have introduced efficient planting design and horticultural techniques in order to meet these requirements. In this paper the sustainability of olive orchard planting management for different olive fruit-harvesting methods has been assessed on the basis of the data gathered by the Geographic Information System and processed using a Multi-Criteria Decision Making Analysis. In particular, three different agronomic scenarios have been analyzed and a specific cultivar has been considered in order to ensure th…

Validation of an online system for the continuous monitoring of tree water status for sustainable irrigation managements in olive (Olea europaea L.)

Abstract As a result of climate change a large reduction of agricultural water through improved irrigation management is a major need for agriculture sustainability. To this aim, always more sensitive sensors to monitor plant water status have been developed in recent years. Among them, the leaf patch clamp pressure probes are very promising for water management of olive but until now have been tested only in few environmental and management conditions. In this work these sensors have been tested for two consecutive years on two completely different management systems: a traditional rainfed orchard and a super high density (SHD) drip irrigated orchard. Within the SHD orchard the probes have…

Evaluation of different conditions to enhance the performances of Lactobacillus pentosus OM13 during industrial production of Spanish-style table olives.

The main objective was to set up a methodology to improve the high volume production of green table olives, cv. Nocellara del Belice. Lactobaccillus pentosus OM13 was applied during three different industrial processes of table olives as follows: trial one (IOP1) was subjected to an addition of lactic acid until a brine level of pH 7.0 was reached; trial two (IOP2) subjected to same addition of lactic acid as in trial one plus nutrient adjuvant; and trial three (IOP3) subjected to same addition of lactic acid as in trial one, but with the strain L. pentosus OM13 acclimatized in brine for 12 h before inoculation. These trials were compared against two untreated controls (spontaneously fermen…

Effect of foliar nitrogen fertilization onto vegetative and productive behaviour of "Nocellara del Belice" table olive trees

Study of energetic properties of different tree organs in six Olea europaea L. cultivars

AbstractPruning is an important horticultural practice for the management of olive orchards (Olea europaea L.) that generates a considerable amount of residues every year. Olive orchards are increasingly expanding beyond the Mediterranean Basin to new growing Countries (Australia, California, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay) and this will certainly lead to larger availability of pruning material. Currently, the interest in use of olive tree pruning residues for energy purposes is increasing but unfortunately, the information on the differences among organs of the tree, in terms of calorific value and ash content, is scarce. Another unknown aspect is the effect of cultivar vigour on dry matter …

Fenologia della maturazione e caratteristiche qualitative dei frutti di pesco del germoplasma autoctono della Sicilia

Planting Systems for Modern Olive Growing: Strengths and Weaknesses

The objective of fully mechanizing olive harvesting has been pursued since the 1970s to cope with labor shortages and increasing production costs. Only in the last twenty years, after adopting super-intensive planting systems and developing appropriate straddle machines, a solution seems to have been found. The spread of super-intensive plantings, however, raises serious environmental and social concerns, mainly because of the small number of cultivars that are currently used (basically 2), compared to over 100 cultivars today cultivated on a large scale across the world. Olive growing, indeed, insists on over 11 million hectares. Despite its being located mostly in the Mediterranean countr…

SPECIALE PESCO: L'offerta siciliana tra innovazione e tradizione

Morphological, phenological and molecular characterization of the Sicilian indigenous olive (Olea europaea sativa L.)germplasm

The indigenous germplasm of chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) in Sicily: ecophysiological aspects and variability of fruits traits

Analisi climatologiche alla toposcala per la valutazione della vocazionalità ambientale alla coltivazione di cultivar di pesco di due distretti frutticoli della Sicilia

The indigenous germplasm of chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) in the Etna area: Ecophysiological aspects and morphological traits of the fruits

In Sicily, chestnut ( Castanea sativa Mill.) is present at altitudes that run from 300 to 1600 m asi and, due to the extreme variability of the environmental conditions, a large autochthonous germplasm has been dif- ferentiated. On the island, starting back as far as ancient times, chestnut was an important crop for rural com- munities but, after the Second World War, the tendency of the rural population to move to the capital cities and because of Cryphonectria parasitica attacks, chestnut plantings reduced dramatically. Recently, an investigation has commenced in the Etna area to collect the residual genetic resources of chestnut. Although many of the che- stnut genotypes found on the slo…

Le risorse genetiche del pesco per la peschicoltura meridionale: dalla valorizzazione delle varietà autoctone al nuovo breeding

Interventi agronomici per migliorare la presenza di polline di pistacchio (P vera L.) negli impianti commerciali di Bronte.

Genetic diversity of early ripening breba accessions (Ficus caricaL.) found in the “Pomona” Apulian collection

In order to study fig (Ficus carica L.) biodiversity in Southern Italy, a study was performed in a private Apulian collection, "I Giardini di Pomona", in which 350 different native and international cultivars were recovered in the last 15 years. This collection is located in middle part of Apulia region inside an area of great charm called "Valle D'Itria". In the region, fig is an important edible fruit tree species and it has been used for fresh fruit production, for centuries. Moreover, fig is considered as an important element of natural landscape and as significant cultural heritage. In this study, the Apulian breba cultivars, characterized by interesting agronomic traits, such as early…

Variabilità di caratteri biometrici e molecolari (ssr) del germoplasma autoctono di ciliegio in Sicilia

Yield and profitability of modified spanish bush and Y-trellis training systems for peach

Peach trees trained to modified Spanish bush (MSB) and Y-trellis (Y) were evaluated and compared in the Mediterranean settings of Southern Italy. The observations included two peach (Rich May and Summer Rich) and two nectarine (Big Bang and Nectaross) cultivars. In the MSB system, trees were spaced at 4.5 x 2.5 m (888 trees/ha), whereas in the Y system, trees were spaced at 5.5 x 2 m (909 trees/ha). Costs at planting, yield per tree, fruit size grade, unit price of sold peaches for each size grade, amount and cost of materials and labor for cultural management, and grower's profit were quantified throughout all six years from planting and at full crop (year 4-6). Fixed costs of the MSB syst…

Le cultivar di olivo siciliane in collezione presso il DCA di Palermo

Aspetti fisiologici, tecnici ed economici dei sistemi d'impianto nella peschicoltura meridionale.

Establishing a Reference Baseline for Midday Stem Water Potential in Olive and Its Use for Plant-Based Irrigation Management

12 páginas.- 7 figuras.- 4 tablas.- 55 referencias.-

Esigenze bio-termiche e stima del periodo di sviluppo del frutto in cultivar di pesco a differente epoca di maturazione

In this experiment carried out in Sicily (37.35N 12.58E), fruit growth was studied in relation to thermal time accumulated from bloom to fruit harvest for peach cultivars whose fruit development period ranges from 76 to 170 days. Thermal time was calculated in terms of GDH (base temperature 6.2-10 °C, optimum temperature 23.3-24.5 °C and critical temperature 33.7-39.4 °C) by the use of non-linear models. Climatic and phenological data (bloom and harvest dates) were considered for a minimum of four to a maximum of six years. Taking into account the whole FDP, the accuracy of the GDH model in predicting harvest time ranged from 0.6 day, in the early ripening peach cultivar Anita, to 6.4 days …

Le alternative al GF 677 per le cultivar di pesco precoci.

Morphological and molecular variability within the fig cultivar 'Dottato' in the Italian protected designation origin area "fichi di Cosenza"

The morphological and molecular diversity among fig accessions of 'Dottato', found in the PDO "Fichi di Cosenza" area was studied by evaluating 24 morphological traits and by genotyping with 18 microsatellite markers. The microsatellite allelic profiles among the putative clones of 'Dottato' indicated a moderate genetic variability, discriminating unambiguously most of the accessions. Only two groups of identity were found. The average expected and observed heterozygosity were 0.43 and 0.62, respectively. The mean polymorphic information content (PIC) was 0.4, varying from 0.08 (LMFC26) to 0.067 (FCUP 38-6). The morphological clustering allowed the distinction of all genotypes. Some genotyp…

Selezione massale del castagno (Castanea sativa Mill) nel distretto dell’Etna: caratterizzazione fenotipica e molecolare di 25 accessioni

Vegetative growth, phenology, yield and fruit quality of "Bianca" pistachio (Pistacia vera L:) trees as affected by the rootstock

In-Field and Early Detection of Xylella fastidiosa Infections in Olive Using a Portable Instrument

Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca (Xfp) is a gram-negative pathogenic bacteria responsible for serious diseases (Purcell, 2013) that inflicts considerable economic loss (Li et al., 2007; Luvisi et al., 2017). The pathogen has been linked to olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS). This devastating olive disease was first observed in Salento (Apulia, southeastern Italy) in 2009. Infected trees respond to Xfp infection with scattered desiccation of twigs and small branches in the upper crown, which extend to the rest of the canopy, showing the characteristic blight effect. The disease causes tree death within a few years from the onset of symptoms (Martelli, 2016). The primary agronomic procedure f…

Variabilità dei tratti morfologici e bio-molecolari nella cultivar di olivo calabrese Ottobratica

Fingerprinting of Sicilian Cherry Germplasm with Simple Sequence Repeats and Incompatibility (S) Locus Primers

Efficacy of non-copper-based repellents for the control of olive fruit fly in organic olive-orchards

Le cultivar di olivo siciliane (pp.15-37)

Effect of the mechanical harvest of drupes on the quality characteristics of green fermented table olives

BACKGROUND Because of damage caused by mechanical harvesting, the drupes for table olive production are traditionally hand harvested. Until now, no data have been available on the microbiological and chemical features of mechanically harvested drupes during fermentation. RESULTS Drupes mechanically harvested and inoculated with Lactobacillus pentosus OM13 were characterized by the lowest concentrations of potential spoilage microorganisms. On the other hand, drupes mechanically harvested and subjected to spontaneous fermentation showed the highest concentration of Enterobacteriaceae and pseudomonads during transformation. The lowest decrease of pH (4.20) was registered for the trials inocul…

Olive agroforestry systems in Sicily: Cultivated typologies and secondary succession processes after abandonment

The first part of this study provides an overview on Sicilian olive systems. Subsequently, the study describes the different typologies of cultivated agroforestry systems present in South-Eastern Sicily employing olive trees in association with other Mediterranean tree species, in particular for the production of firewood, coal and animal food (downy or pubescent oak, holm oak, cork oak), but also in association with forage or grazing species (oat, barley, vetch, etc.) or cereals. The study shows that Sicilian agroforestry systems are much more diversified than it was known so far. In the second part, the study describes the spontaneous colonization processes by plants, observed in abandone…

Productive and vegetative behaviour of olive cultivars in super high-density olive grove

In recent years, there has been an increase in interest in super high-density (SHD) olive (Olea europaea L.) groves because they offer early entry into production, increased productivity and the possibility of using modified mechanical vine harvesters. This study was carried out in a young SHD olive grove to examine vegetative, histo-anatomical and productive characteristics and oil quality of the Spanish Arbequina and Italian Maurino and Leccino cultivars, characterized by low, low-to-medium and high vigor, respectively. Arbequina had low vigor and limited development in height and width, as well as a high leaf/wood ratio. Maurino had a canopy volume similar to that of Arbequina and, despi…

Influence of crop load on trees water status, fruit development and olive oil chemical and sensory characteristics

Efficiency and ecophysiological characterization of the canopy of peach (P. persica L. Batsch) trees in three planting systems

Identifying conserved genes involved in crop tolerance to cold stress

Low temperature is a limiting factor for crop productivity in tropical and subtropical climates. Cold stress response in plants involves perceiving and relaying the signal through a transcriptional cascade composed of different transduction components, resulting in altered gene activity. We performed a meta-analysis of four previously published datasets of cold-tolerant and cold-sensitive crops to better understand the gene regulatory networks and identify key genes involved in cold stress tolerance conserved across phylogenetically distant species. Re-analysing the raw data with the same bioinformatics pipeline, we identified common cold tolerance-related genes. We found 236 and 242 common…

EFFETTI DELL'IDROGENO CIANAMIDE SUL CICLO VEGETATIVO E RIPRODUTTIVO DEL PISTACCHIO

LOW VIGOR PEACH × ALMOND ROOTSTOCKS FOR INTENSIVE PEACH PLANTINGS IN MEDITERRANEAN ENVIRONMENTS

A three-year trial was carried out to evaluate the vegetative and productive performance of five peach rootstocks of varied vigor. The study was conducted in south-western Sicily using 45 V-trained trees of 'Tropic Snow' peach planted in 2005 and grafted on GF677 and four low-vigor rootstocks selected at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Pisa, namely IS5/8 (Polluce), IS5/19 (Castore), IS5/23, IS5/29. Trunk circumference, winter and summer pruning weight, number and mass of fruit were recorded from 2010 to 2012. All IS selections reduced trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA) and pruning weight compared to GF677 with IS5/23 inducing the highest reducti…

Efficienza produttiva, dinamica di maturazione e qualità dell'olio della cultivar Arbequina in cinque diversi distretti olivicoli italiani

Selezione a tutto campo per le castagne dell'Etna

A Cultivar-Sensitive Approach for the Continuous Monitoring of Olive (Olea europaea L.) Tree Water Status by Fruit and Leaf Sensing

Sustainable irrigation is crucial to reduce water use and management costs in modern orchard systems. Continuous plant-based sensing is an innovative approach for the continuous monitoring of plant water status. Olive (Olea europaea L.) genotypes can respond to drought using different leaf and fruit physiological and morphological mechanisms. This study aimed to identify whether fruit and leaf water dynamics of two different olive cultivars were differently affected by water deficit and their response to changes of midday stem water potential (Ψstem), the most common indicator of plant water status. Plant water status indicators such as leaf stomatal conductance (gs) and Ψstem were measured…

Additional file 10: of Identification of key genes and its chromosome regions linked to drought responses in leaves across different crops through meta-analysis of RNA-Seq data

Table S4. Genes involved in the leaf developmental stage that are commonly drought-regulated were shown. Common in seedling studies and common in mature studies were given in separate sheets. GeneID, description, expression pattern and binname were indicated. (XLSX 14 kb)

Additional file 8: of Identification of key genes and its chromosome regions linked to drought responses in leaves across different crops through meta-analysis of RNA-Seq data

Figure S6. The 27 key genes that were drought-regulated in at least 7 of 9 studies were mapped in the respective chromosomes of the 7 crops. (TIF 536 kb)

Additional file 11: of Identification of key genes and its chromosome regions linked to drought responses in leaves across different crops through meta-analysis of RNA-Seq data

Table S6. Genes involved in drought response corresponding to each of the study were shown. TAIR ID, description and log2FC were indicated. (XLSX 321 kb)

Additional file 12: of Identification of key genes and its chromosome regions linked to drought responses in leaves across different crops through meta-analysis of RNA-Seq data

Table S5. Genes involved in drought response at different leaf developmental stages (unique for seedling, unique for mature and common for seedling and mature) were shown. TAIR ID, log2FC and expression pattern were indicated. (XLSX 56 kb)

Additional file 3: of Identification of key genes and its chromosome regions linked to drought responses in leaves across different crops through meta-analysis of RNA-Seq data

Figure S2. MapMan overview showing transcriptomic effects of drought in key categories selected such as secondary metabolism, cellular responses and signaling. Genes were identified as Arabidopsis orthologs of each genes of the analyzed plant species. Red means up-regulated and green means down-regulated. (TIF 226 kb)

Additional file 9: of Identification of key genes and its chromosome regions linked to drought responses in leaves across different crops through meta-analysis of RNA-Seq data

Table S3. Genes mapped in the chromosome which are involved in atleast 7 of 9 studies. Arabidopsis ortholog, description and corresponding gene IDs were indicated. (XLSX 12 kb)

Data from: Genetic relationships, structure and parentage simulation among the olive tree (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea) cultivated in Southern Italy revealed by SSR markers

In this work, we assess both the morphological and genetic diversity of 68 important olive cultivars from three Southern Italian regions: Calabria, Campania and Sicily. Twenty-five phenotypic traits were evaluated and 12 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were analysed. All SSR primers were polymorphic and reliable. The total number of alleles per locus varied from 5 to 19 with an average number of 13.1 and a mean polymorphic information content (PIC) of 0.81. These results suggested high genetic diversity within these three olive germplasm collections. Morphological traits also showed significant variability amongst cultivars. Two cases of identity were found and ten statistically signif…

Additional file 2: of Identification of key genes and its chromosome regions linked to drought responses in leaves across different crops through meta-analysis of RNA-Seq data

Figure S1. Clustering heatmap showing the hierarchical relationship among the studies selected for the analysis. Resulted log2FC values of the analysis for generating the tree was indicated. (TIF 163 kb)

Additional file 6: of Identification of key genes and its chromosome regions linked to drought responses in leaves across different crops through meta-analysis of RNA-Seq data

Figure S5. Key genes encoding transcription factors, hormone metabolism and abiotic stress responses obtained from DAVID software were mapped in the respective chromosomes of the 7 crops. (TIF 536 kb)

Productive and vegetative behavior of olive cultivars in super high-density olive grove

In recent years, there has been an increase in interest in super high-density (SHD) olive (Olea europaea L.) groves because they offer early entry into production, increased productivity and the possibility of using modified mechanical vine harvesters. This study was carried out in a young SHD olive grove to examine vegetative, histo-anatomical and productive characteristics and oil quality of the Spanish Arbequina and Italian Maurino and Leccino cultivars, characterized by low, low-to-medium and high vigor, respectively. Arbequina had low vigor and limited development in height and width, as well as a high leaf/wood ratio. Maurino had a canopy volume similar to that of Arbequina and, despi…

Additional file 5: of Identification of key genes and its chromosome regions linked to drought responses in leaves across different crops through meta-analysis of RNA-Seq data

Figure S4. Protein-protein interaction network analysis predicted for genes commonly regulated in five mature leaf studies performed in Vitis vinifera, Solanum tuberosum, Triticum aestivum, Zea mays (study1) and Zea mays (study 2)based on Arabidopsis knowledgebase. (TIF 185 kb)

Additional file 4: of Identification of key genes and its chromosome regions linked to drought responses in leaves across different crops through meta-analysis of RNA-Seq data

Figure S3. Protein-protein interaction network analysis predicted for genes commonly regulated in three seedling leaf studies performed in Arabidopsis thaliana, Malus X domestica and Solanum lycopersicum based on Arabidopsis knowledgebase. (TIF 332 kb)

Additional file 1: of Identification of key genes and its chromosome regions linked to drought responses in leaves across different crops through meta-analysis of RNA-Seq data

Table S1. The table consists of gene_ID, corresponding arabidopsis orthologs and log2 fold change values for significantly regulated genes (FDRâ

Additional file 7: of Identification of key genes and its chromosome regions linked to drought responses in leaves across different crops through meta-analysis of RNA-Seq data

Table S2. Genes mapped in the chromosome which are involved in transcription factors, abiotic stress response and hormone metabolism. Arabidopsis ortholog, description and corresponding gene IDs were indicated. (XLSX 17 kb)